Student Support Specialist – Medford After-School Program

Student Support Specialist � Medford After-School Program The Student Support Specialist provides dedicated, individualized 1:1 support to ensure that students with significant, diverse learning, physical, emotional, and sensory needs can meaningfully participate in after-school activities alongside their peers. This role balances safety and specialized care with an asset-based, inclusive approach�implementing tailored accommodations while fostering social-emotional learning (SEL), peer connections, and student autonomy in alignment with Massachusetts inclusive education principles (603 CMR 28.

00). Essential Responsibilities Direct Support & Inclusion Facilitate Inclusive Participation: Scaffold activities to ensure the student can fully access after-school enrichment, games, snacks, and open play alongside peers in the least restrictive environment. Implement Accommodations & Behavior Plans: Consistently execute individualized behavior support plans, sensory diets, and transition strategies developed in alignment with the student's IEP, 504 Plan, or after-school support plan.

Proactive Safety & Health Management: Provide vigilant oversight for high-need safety concerns, including wandering/elopement (bolting), pica (ingesting non-food items), spatial safety, and physical safety during dynamic movement or unstructured times. De-escalation & Sensory Regulation: Recognize early triggers for emotional and physical dysregulation; utilize low-arousal, trauma-informed, and de-escalation practices.

Accompany the student to designated sensory or quiet spaces for proactive breaks when needed, guiding them back to group activities. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Actively model and facilitate positive peer interactions, turn-taking, conflict resolution, and friendship-building using strength-based strategies. Collaboration & Goal Setting Caregiver & School-Day Alignment: Partner with the Site Director to attend regular check-ins with caregivers, special educators, and school-day staff.

Insight Sharing: Gather insights into student strengths, preferences, effective regulation tools, and home/school routines to ensure continuity across the student's day. Goal Development: Help establish, track, and adapt individualized SEL and inclusion goals for the after-school setting, documenting daily progress and adjusting strategies as needed.

Qualifications

& Competencies Experience: Minimum of 3+ years of direct experience supporting students with disabilities in educational, therapeutic, or structured out-of-school-time settings. Targeted Experience: Demonstrated background working 1:1 with students in substantially separate special education classrooms or intensive support environments, including direct experience responding to elopement, pica, and verbal/physical behaviors.

Knowledge & Practices: Familiarity with Massachusetts special education frameworks, positive behavior intervention strategies (PBIS), and trauma-informed care principles. Proficiency in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices or visual schedule tools is a plus. Mindset: An asset-based focus that presumes competence, respects student dignity, and views behavior as communication.

Certifications: First Aid/CPR certification (or willingness to obtain upon hire); Safety-Care, CPI, or similar crisis prevention/de-escalation training preferred.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent required; Associate's degree or Paraprofessional Certification under MA DESE standards preferred. Physical & Working Conditions Ability to maintain active proximity to student, move quickly to maintain safety (e.g., preventing elopement), and escort students to break areas. Comfort working in active, moderate-to-high noise environments common to after-school recreational spaces.

Compensation

$22-25/hour (commensurate with training and experience) Position Type: Part-Time / Non-Exempt (School-Year Schedule)